God Will Lift You Up

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) - 10 Fear not, for I am with you;
 Be not dismayed, for I am your God. 
I will strengthen you,
 Yes, I will help you,
 I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. 

Do you ever have days where you feel lost and alone?  I don't mean literally, but spiritually and emotionally.  Days where you wake up feeling bored and tired from following the same old routine.  "Is this all there is?"  

I admit that I have felt this way from time to time and it is very uncomfortable.  During these times we tend to feed our emotions with unhealthy habits, like eating and drinking too much. We also may withdraw from our friends, stop going to social events, stop exercising and find ourselves just going through the motions.  While it is normal to feel this way and get stuck from time to time, it can be a dangerous place if it continues for too long.  

So how do you shake it off and get back to living?  How do you get back to waking up in the morning feeling excited about the day?  Are you ready to make a change?

First, it starts with reconnecting with God.  Start by making time to read the scripture every day and pray constantly.  If the bible intimidates you, then pick up a daily devotional or find a website like www.biblegateway.com.  Start out by giving yourself 30 minutes each day to this endeavor.  That's not much when you consider how much time we sit staring at the television.    

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)  ¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

You can never pray too much and you are never alone.  You are not bothering God.  He can and does listen to each and every one of us at every moment of every day and does not get confused or overwhelmed.  He loves us and wants us to talk to him about everything in our lives every day.  He wants to provide us with direction and a spirit filled with energy,  joy and hope.  

Second, and I know that this is a common catchphrase, but I think it really works to "fake it till you make it".  Even if you don't feel confident about yourself and the direction of your life,  just for now, pretend that you are and eventually it will translate into the real thing. 

Third, take a look at eating and exercise habits.  Are you eating a lot of highly processed,  high carbohydrate and sugary foods.  These are the foods that can cause weight gain and play havoc with your emotional well being.  Exercise improves both your physical and mental health. I know that it is hard to get started but if you can take the first step, the rewards will make it worthwhile.    

Fourth, make commitment to something that makes you focus on the needs of others and not your own.  Volunteer to drive a neighbor to the grocery store or doctor.  Take a friend who needs a listening ear to lunch and listen.  Clean out your closest and donate clothing, food to other items to a shelter. Whatever works for you. 

Fifth, change your routine.  Take a class that doesn't involve your work or profession, like  cooking, martial arts or photography.  Take up a new hobby,  join a bible study,  learn to play a musical instrument or start a blog.  You don't have to do these things alone, do it with friend or spouse.

If you are feeling this way right now, start with step one and reach out your hand to God so that he can pull you up and get you moving in the right direction. If you know of someone who is feeling this way, help them to extend their hand to God, so that he may lift them up. 

It's all just one day at a time and that's all we have for now, so let's not waste it. 

God Bless You!